Unfortunately or probably not so, I had to leave for a vacation the day of CWC 2011 finals. All way to the airport in the taxi I was straining hard to listen to the commentary on radio above all the noise, an alternative I wouldn’t ever try coz of the lame and irritating commentary we get on radios.
Rushing through the customs and skipping even a look at the Delhi duty free, I dragged my parents and my brother to the screen showing the India v/s Sri Lanka match. Cricket made everyone sitting there a single entity. No business class, no economy class, that time every single one of them was an Indian. And as everyone knows, cricket is religion in India.
People were pushing each other to get a better view of the screen. On every ball they cheered, every boundary they hooted, and every wicket they cursed, in unison. People sat on the floors, and what people, those wearing neat coats and tuxedos did that! Sophistication was long forgotten. The foreign passengers were gaping at the scene, bewildered by all the noise. To them I say-“Guys, cricket here is much more than your redskins game.”
People were late for the flight, and they didn’t care. People were even ready to miss their flights! All for a cricket match. Oh my mistake! It was THE cricket match! When people name’s were announced to board the flight, they simply said let the damned flight wait, I’ll come after the match and turned back to the screen.
And the moment we won? Ohho! You can’t compare it to anything else! One guy literally removed his shirt and threw it in the air! Others made a circle and started dancing. Some of them made a human train and started running around the airport, this included the shirtless guy.
Imagine! Just imagine the scene! Can anything be better than this? Cricket in India is a great uniting force. We all BLEED BLUE!
Cricket, hats off!
BLEED BLUE ! CRICKET IS ANOTHER NAME FOR UNITY IN INDIA!!